Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-18
CATARRH.

THE TERM CATARRH is APPLIED TO A
l. peculiar disorder of the nostrils and ad-
iacent parts, which prevails to an alarming
extent, and is productive of very serious
consequences.
The most prominent and characterist
feature is a morbid discharge from the head
varying in its nature at different times.
In some there is an almost constant flow
of clear, acrid fluid, but oftener an offensive,
purulent or muco-purulent, greenish-yellCw
matter is secreted, which accumulates in
the nostrils or drops into the throat, neces-
stating its frequent removal by blowing the
nose or expectoration, and often by both
processes. sometimes. patients feel as
though their head was in a state of rotten
ness, sc, great is the amount of matter dis
charged and so fetid is its odor The pa
tient is greatly annoyed by the constant
dropping into the throat of the morbid
matter from the head, and as recumbent
position naturally favors the flow downward
his rest is frequently disturbed from this
cause: Many sufferers are Obliged to lie .ith
the hdhd very much elevated in order to
sleep with some degree OF comfort.
III others a tough, viscid and offensive
phlegm collects behind and above the soft
palate, in the passage between the throat and
head, adhering to the parts with gluish tenac-
ity. Its lodgment embarrasses respiration
and creates sensation of irritation and un-
| casness in the affected locality, which gives
rise to constant and almost irresistible de-
sire to relieve that discomfort by drawing
the mucus into the throat SO as to eject it by
the mouth. This practice, popularity known
as hawking" is characteristic of catarrh,
and proves as embarrassing to the one af-
fected as it is disagreeable to those around
him.
Again, the offensive matter hardens and
deposits itself on the membrane in the shape
of dry, hard concretiOns, which are dis
charged by way OF the nostrils or throat in
Jumps or fragments OF deep green tint. In
some cases these incrustations accumulate
| to such an extent as to form regular plug
n 10 Iuh al nbstru nts hrno hi,,rr
produce serious discomfort So firmly do
these incrustations adhere to the point of
| attachment that their removal usually re-
quires the most violent efforts; not unfre-
quently they have to be torn from the men,
| brane. Occasionally II solid cast of notable
| size is expelled, on which there are generally
| traces OF blood, but in some cases the cast
presents Il tubular appearance, being of exact
| shape OF the nasal cavity. This condition is
| indicative of liberation, which, in time,
| may destroy the bony structure of the nose
| and produce subsequent flattening of that
organ.
Cases are occasionally met with in which
a thick, visCid, Shiny secretion coats the
| membrane OF the nasal cavities and then
putretes, giving rise to a stencil which Is
| really overpowering, and sufficiently fetid
| to poison the atmosphere of whole room;
and there are Others in which all the secre-
| tions of the membrane are suspended, caus-
| ing an unpleasant feeling of dryness, heat
| and feverishness in the head and nose--a
| Catarrh."
| The disease speedily extends TO the air
cavities of the bones of the forehead and
face, giving rise to a dist essing sensation of
heavy weight or compression over the fore
head, especially in the region above and be-
tween the eyes, and to a feeling OF fulness
heat, irritation, sor. ness or pal in the nos
| trils near the root of the nose, as well as in
the upper part of the throat, above and be-
| hind the soft palate. Sometimes there is
pain obstinately fixed in some particular
part, as in the temple, on the top of the
| head, at the back of the neck, or behind the
| orbits, and, occasionally, pain manifests
| itself in the face of so severe a character
| that it is frequently mistaken for neuralgia.
The breath is always tainted, and at times
assumes an exceeding fetid and sickening
odor. In some cases it becomes so revolt
ingly offensive as to render the sufferer an
| object of disgust to himself as well as to
others.
| The nasal membrane is thiekened and
| contested, causing the nose to be stopped up,
sometimes on one side, sometimes on the
other, and often on both, giving rise to a
| disagreeable, stufy sensation in the head,
and Occasioning violent and prolonged
paroxysms of Sneezing.
The voice is weak, lndistinct and husky,
| or OF nasal character, displaying a sort of
| shifting quality. Oftentmes there is con-
| tinuous hoarseness and discOrdance. There
| is also sense OF irritation in the part,
and frequent attempts to clear the throat of
phlegm producing the sound "hem," more
| or less forcibly. In some cases patients
| OF all uncomfortable feeI1nS OF
fullness, or choky sensation in the throat,
and i'll others of a distressing and almost
constant dryness, for the temporary relief OF
which they have to swallow frequently
Others; again, speak of u constant bad or
| nauseous taste in the mouth OF throat
The stomach generally suffers more or less
and becomes weak and irritable: the appe-
| tite is capricious and nearly always bad in
| the morning. The patient is languid, unable
to perform mental or physical labor with
| the usual facility, is nervous, depressed in
spirits, at times fearful, timid, agitated and
inclined to drowsiness and sleep, the mem
ory weakened and permanent impairment
seriously threatened
The mucous membrane soon becomes
| morbidly sensitive to unfavOrable intiu-
ences, and in spite of the utmost care be-
comes affected from the slightest causes, SO
that at last breath of wind upon the lining
OF the nose OF throat becomes productive Of
| cold, and gives rise to serious disturbances
of the respiratory organs. Thus the patient
is subject to frequent and repeated colds,
each attack aggravating the disease by CIV
ing 1t new impulse and involving larger
extent of surface than its predecessor. In
this manner the difficulty spreads from or
gan to organ, invading the throat, larnyx,
| trachea and bronchial tubes. until, en-
croaching further and further. 1t reaches
the finer ramifications of the bronchi, when
but slight impulse is required to send 1t to
the lungs. Catarrh may, and often does,
affect other organs in the body, especially
those contain ng mucous membrane, such
as the stomach, bowels, kidneys, etc.
By the employment of proper inhalatIons
in the form of medicated vapor (not steam
or spray) we are able to produce immediate
and direct action upon the diseased surface
in the pharynx and nasal passages, for air
will find its way into the most remote and
intricate cavities, where it is utterly impOs-
sible to make fluid applications. BY these
means every case can be cured.
Persons desiring treatment by this system
OF practice can use the remedy at home as
well as at our office, and which will cause
in iD npa nr hi taf1
whatever.
l have seen so many of these cases cured
that do not consider any case hopeless un-
less the disease has advanced to the chest
and that both lungs are seriously involved.
Even then the inhalations aid us in dis.
solving the mucus and in contracting ana
healing the cavities, which nothing else can
do with the same success. The very best
references from those alreadn curnd